


Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Let the Bullets Fly

by TeamImprov



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016) Whump, Bleeding Out, Blood and Injury, Bullet+Pen, Gen, Gunshot Wounds, Hospital, Near Death Experiences, Samantha Cage Whump, Worried Jack Dalton (MacGyver TV 2016), worried team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:34:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28356282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeamImprov/pseuds/TeamImprov
Summary: Set at the end of Bullet+Pen; Mac goes with Cage to her apartment to help her bring the presents back to the Christmas party.Murdoc is just as happy to shoot them both.
Comments: 70
Kudos: 104





	1. Gifts + Gunshots + HoHoHo

“Thanks for coming with me,” Cage said, sliding her key into the lock of her apartment door. She watched Mac’s face intently as he stared at a random point on the doorframe, eyes looking miles away, but he still managed a half-smile. None of them wanted to let Mac out of their sight for a while. He had a penchant for getting into trouble and getting arrested and almost going to prison for domestic terrorism on Christmas definitley counted as trouble. “I went a little overboard this year so by the time I was done making trips to the car and back I would have missed all the festivities.”

“We wouldn’t want that,” Mac told her sincerely as the door swung open and the smell of cinnamon and vanilla wafted over them. “I wouldn’t want you to miss Bozer’s Christmas pastrami. But you know you didn’t have to get us anything, right?”

As they stepped inside the apartment, Cage turned on the kitchen light. She smiled over her shoulder at him and made her way to her pantry where she had stored the nicely wrapped gifts. “I know, but I wanted to. It’s been a while since I had people to get gifts for. It’s nice.” 

“I know what you mean.” Mac nodded absently, as he stared at another seemingly random spot on her counter this time. “When you’ve been on your own long enough it’s hard to learn how to trust again. But it’s definitely worth it to have friends who will always be there for you.” 

“I guess it just takes the right group of people.” Cage made her way to the pantry and started pulling red and green wrapped presents from the pile she had stacked on the floor. “It makes the holidays easier.” 

“That it does,” Mac agreed softly. 

Cage could tell he wasn’t feeling particularly festive but handcuffs and an interrogation room would do that to a person. Normally, she didn’t care about holidays. She only had her sister in Australia and they hadn’t seen each other in years. She was used to being alone, it protected her, calmed her, but ever since she joined the Phoenix Foundation and got to know the team that had actually come to mean a lot to her she was starting to miss normalcy. In her life, in her line of work, she didn’t often get that. 

“Well, isn’t this a surprise.” A familiar, eerie voice chimed in from the dark living room. “Two blondies for the price of one. For that kind of sale, how could I deny taking advantage?” 

Both Cage and Mac whirled around, Cage reached for the gun she wore for missions but not in her own home and came up empty. Icy dread ran through her at the danger they were in since they were both unarmed. 

“Murdoc,” Mac’s voice was tense as he took a half step in front of Cage. They were defenseless, no weapons to use against the assassin, her counter even bare of spare parts Mac could put together to make something - not that they had time for that. 

“Hello MacGyver,” Murdoc smiled sharply. “Samantha.” 

“What do you want?” Mac asked, jaw clenched painfully. 

“I wanted to give Cage here a very special christmas present but since you’re here too it would be rude of me not to share.” 

WIth that, Murdoc lifted his gloved right hand. Before either agent could respond, Murdoc pulled the trigger and Cage felt something punch into her chest. She gasped, the breath ripped right out of her lungs. She felt her legs give out and the ground came up to meet her.

“Cage,” Mac cried out, but as he turned toward her Murdoc fired off two more shots. Cage watched in horror as Mac’s left shoulder jerked back. The second shot caught him in the gut and he landed in a heap beside her. His white henley immediately darkened red at the points where he was hit and Cage could feel her own blood soaking into her shirt and collecting in a pool under her.

“Ho ho ho,” Cage heard Murdoc’s deadpan voice through the ringing in her ears. She let her head fall toward Mac and watched as he weakly coughed, his whole body shaking as more red overtook the previously off-white of his shirt. His right hand was pressed to his abdomen, nimble fingers coated in blood. She reached out to him, her own cold fingers brushing against the limp arm of his injured shoulder. At the touch, his head canted toward her and when his bright blue eyes found hers she knew they were probably going to die right there. 

At least neither of them would die alone. It was a cold comfort but a comfort nonetheless. The moment was broken when Murdoc’s footsteps reached them. 

“Now you may not believe me right now but I’m actually hoping you both survive this. You’re far too much fun to play with for you to die now. Especially you,” Murdoc said leaning over their prone bodies and poking a gloved finger against Mac’s shoulder wound making the agent cry out, gasping, as he tried unsuccessfully to wiggle away. He came up short when it pulled on his abdominal wound. Murdoc frowned at the deep red coating his gloved fingers. “But maybe I should have been more careful. Aimed for something a little less vital perhaps.” 

“W-why not just k-kill us, n-now?” Mac stuttered through pale lips. “G-get it oh-over with.” 

“Like I said, I want you to survive.” Murdoc told him patiently, like he was explaining it to a child. “I’ve had my fun and hurt you enough for now. I really am hoping to play again soon, MacGyver. But, if you do die, at least it was me.” 

Murdoc closed his eyes, breathing deeply for a second as if taking in the moment, before standing. With one last look at the two injured agents, he turned and walked away. 

“It’s been fun, MacGyver.” Cage heard as her front door clicked shut. Then, they were alone. The smell of iron thick in the air with only their ragged, gasping breaths to fill the otherwise silent apartment. 

“C-Cage,” Mac’s voice cut off with a groan and Cage let her eyes shift back to him. He was trying to turn toward her but the pain was too much. He fell back and his fingers clenched even tighter above the dark patch over his stomach. 

“We need...help…” Cage breathed. Her chest felt tight, the pain sharp. Luckily it was her right side, far enough away from her heart so she wasn’t worried about that, but there was no way her lung wasn’t damaged. Mac’s wounds looked bad. The shoulder wound far enough away from his heart, too, but the shot to his torso was definitely in a place that would have hit bad things inside. 

“J-Jack,” Mac breathed, a small whimper escaping his clenched teeth. Cage knew he wasn’t moving. If they were getting help, she had to get to her cell phone on the counter above them. She forced her body into motion, biting back the scream that tried to worm it’s way out of her. She made it to her knees, Mac’s horrible gasps of pain fueling her, and she almost passed out with relief when she was able to knock the phone onto the ground. She fell back to the floor, her arms giving out, and rolled onto her back. She reached out, grabbing Mac’s wrist and tried to count the beats. She couldn’t concentrate enough to do it but his pulse was weak, racing. She felt her own heart galloping in her chest, too. She held the phone with her free hand and blinked away the black spots overtaking her vision. When she could see again, she pressed the home button. She didn’t think, she just let her fingers work on autopilot as they found the phone app, Jack’s number. She shakily held it to her ear as she waited through the ringing. 

Jack, please answer. We need you. 

“Cage, where the hell are ya guys?” Jack asked lightheartedly. “We’re waiting on you two before we start opening presents.” 

“Jack…” Cage gasped out. 

“Woah, you okay?” Jack asked, his voice taking on an edge of concerned seriousness. 

“N-no,” She grunted, Mac was shaking harder now, so was she, they were both headed toward shock and that was almost more dangerous than the wounds themselves. “Need...help....”

“Where are you?” Jack asked, all traces of Christmas cheer completely dashed away. “Cage, where’s Mac?”

“Apart...ment.” Cage could feel unconscious calling her, promising no more pain, but she fought against it. 

“You’re at your apartment?” Jack asked, she could hear a car door opening, keys jingling, the roar of an engine. 

“Yes,” she responded. “Mac…” 

“Is Mac there, too? Is he with you?” 

“Murdoc.” 

“Is Murdoc there?” Cage could hear car horns, a squeal of tires. 

“Shot...us,” she wished she had the energy, the breath, to explain better but she needed to take breaths in between every single word, each of them taking a little more away from her so she needed to use them sparingly. She stole another hard look at Mac, his eyes catching hers immediately. She didn’t look away. 

“What?” This time it was Riley’s voice, speaker phone then. 

“Murdoc shot you?” Jack asked, she could hear the fear in his voice at the answer.

“Yes,” she didn’t look away from Mac’s terrified eyes. He looked so hurt. It tore at her to see him like that, the sight of his pain clawed at her chest and adding to the agony of her own horrible wound. He was fading faster than she was, she could tell. If they didn’t get there fast, she was going to have to watch him die. That was unacceptable. “Mac...too.”

“Mac?” Jack called out immediately. “Is he awake? Alive?” 

“Yes,” Cage whispered, shaking Mac’s arm when his eyes started to flutter. “But hurry.” 

“I hear you and we are less than ten minutes away.” Jack’s voice was softer now. He knew the facts. Now he was in protective, comfort mode. “Can you put me on speaker? I want you two to stay on the phone with me until I get there, you hear me?”

“Kay,” Cage could barely feel her fingers anymore but she pulled the phone from her ear and haphazardly pressed the speaker button. 

“You both with me?” Jack called out. 

“Yes…” Cage could feel her voice giving out as it got harder and harder to breath. Even if she had to watch Mac die first, she wasn’t going to be long behind him. 

“Mac?” Jack sounded near tears. “You with me, bud.” 

“Jah-” The word came out in a tortured breath as Mac fought to keep his eyes open. There was so much blood covering his shirt. She was amazed he was still conscious. He was fighting as hard as he could but he was getting tired. 

“Oh bud,” Jack swallowed thickly. “I’m almost there. Just a few more minutes. Riley already has an ambulance on the way and they’ll get ya all fixed up.” 

“I’m s-sorry…” Mac groaned. “Dih-didn’t see hi-him…” 

“Hey, why don’t we worry about that later, okay? I see the building. It’ll only be a few more minutes. You gotta stay with me, though, okay? Both of y-”

Before Jack could finish his sentence, Cage’s phone beeped once and then went silent. She glanced at it to find the battery had run out at probably the worst possible time ever. She let it drop to the ground and turned her head back toward Mac. 

His eyes were dull, half-closed, as he pulled in tiny gasps. Cage almost didn’t feel anything anymore. She was floating, weightlessly, as his prone form swam in front of her vision. She blinked, shaking her head hard to clear away the flashing sparks dancing in front of her eyes. She grabbed Mac’s arm and shook him as hard as she could. He gasped through gritted teeth as the motion pulled at his shoulder. His eyes cleared, though, opening more and she caught his attention again. 

“Stay...wake…” Cage demanded. They were so close. If they fell asleep they were never going to make it. 

“So-sorry,” Mac told her again. She shook her head, blinking away the burn in her eyes. It wasn’t his fault. Why did he always think it was his fault? She couldn’t say that many words so she put everything she had left into her eyes and hoped he understood. 

“Chloe,” Cage did say after a beat of silence. Mac frowned, confusion wrinkling a crease between his eyes. “My...re-real name….is Chloe.” 

“C-Chloe.” Mac repeated as realisation dawned, a small smile playing on his lips. His eyes fluttered shut again. She shook his arm, feeling that same tug toward her own unconsciousness. They were both strong, fighters, but there was only so much a person could do when they were bleeding to death. She knew they didn’t have much fight left in them. Mac knew it, too. 

“Th-thanks...telling...me…” Mac’s voice drifted off, his head falling to the side as the remaining strength in his body leached out of him.

“Mac!” Cage jolted forward, barely making it a fraction of an inch off the ground, before she felt the punch of breath exhaling from her lungs and refusing to enter again. She tightened her grip on his wrist, his pulse thudding slower and slower, as those pesky black dots, mixed with too-bright flashing lights, cascaded over her vision. She let her head flop back to the floor and watched as the door to her apartment burst open, punching a hole through the wall with the force of it. 

“Mac!” Jack’s voice was far away. “Cage!” 

There was pressure on her chest but the pain fluttered away and then the darkness swallowed her whole. 

To Be Continued.


	2. Pastrami + Phone Call + Bleeding Out

It had been the worst kind of day with Mac in danger when there was nothing Jack could do to save him. 

Jack hated the idea of Mac all alone in that interrogation room. They all knew the risk associated with their job, and they were willing to make whatever sacrifice was necessary to save the lives of others, but the thought of Mac going to prison for the rest of his life for domestic terrorism was worse than a sacrifice. 

In the end, Mac had saved himself. His incredibly capable, genius partner never ceased to amaze him. But it was just one more in a long line of situations like that. The charges against Mac weren’t a bullet Jack could jump in front of to protect his kid. How could Jack protect his partner if they were being separated by a wall of red tape? The stress of feeling so useless had caused him to snap like an overstretched rubber band. He had lashed out at the rest of the team because the fear had been so blinding. He had done the same thing when Riley was in trouble on her first solo op. He still remembered the look of pain on Mac’s face when Jack told him not to make him hurt him. 

He was willing to go through Mac to save Riley that day. That still hurt them both, especially since Mac would never do anything to put Riley’s life in danger. He was protecting her that day better than Jack had and in payment Jack had almost knocked the kid out. Jack shook away the thought, Riley survived that mission, and Mac was no longer facing life in prison. Jack didn’t believe in Santa but he did believe in Christmas miracles. The day had been the worst they’d had in a while but turned into a win in their direction. He would take what he could get. 

Now they just needed to get the party started. 

“Okay, that’s great.” Matty hung up the phone as she walked into the kitchen where Jack was sitting with Riley. Bozer was making his world famous Christmas pastrami. Jack liked the pastrami, he did, but he still didn’t understand the significance. It was a secret as well kept as Cairo. Slightly different because while Mac and Jack had promised to never speak of Cairo again, Bozer always talked about his pastrami, but Jack still didn’t understand it. None of them did. “I sent Cage in as a social worker to talk to Ruiz. She convinced him to flip on the cartel. He’s laying out the entire operation for us.” 

“Way to go, Cage.” Riley said, impressed by the new streak of good luck they were experiencing. 

“Yeah, the day keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it.” Jack added but something felt off about the statement. He felt the urge to knock on the wood counter beside him but resisted. He knew it was just lingering stress and paranoia from the day but when did things ever work out so well for them? Christmas miracles only went so far; eventually they were going to be pushing their luck. Jack didn’t want to know what that would look like. 

“And what better way to celebrate,” Bozer started as he lifted the pastrami from the oven rack. He turned dramatically, smiling proudly at his favorite tradition, “than with some reheated Christmas pastrami. It’s like fine wine, it...it only gets better with age.” 

Jack couldn’t help but smile at the younger man’s antics. There was something so disarming about Bozer, innocent despite all he had seen as a new agent. Just being around him lightened everybody’s mood. 

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Matty fueled the banter. “Christmas pastrami? I mean, who eats pastrami on Christmas?” 

“I’m glad you asked, Matty.” Bozer gazed fondly at the dish. “It all started in ‘93, in a little place called Mission City, during a freak snow storm. I was a little child-” 

“Yeah, I’m out.” Riley interjected immediately, jumping off the stool. Jack followed, willing to take any excuse not to have to hear the convoluted tale of the Christmas pastrami again. Once was enough, no - even once had been too much. 

“Yeah, I would love to hear the rest of that story again, and I’m sure that’s delicious, but let’s wait for Mac and Cage before we get that party started, yeah?”

“Whatever you say, Jack.” Bozer still only had eyes for his coveted creation. He didn’t even notice when the rest of them left the room. 

Jack and Riley made their way to the living room. Jack sighed contentedly as he sat down on the couch and stared at the beautifully decorated tree. 

“Rough day,” Riley said, shoving her hands in her pockets. 

“As rough as it gets,” Jack agreed. “But it ended all right. That’s all the matters.” 

“I really thought we were going to lose Mac today.” Jack could see a familiar haunted look in Riley’s eye, the one she only got when she thought about her own prison days. He hadn’t seen it in a while and knew this kind of situation would have been a trigger for her. 

“But we didn’t.” Jack reminded her, leaning forward and watching her face intently. “We got him out of there.” 

“I can’t imagine him in prison like that.” Riley continued, shaking her head. 

“Me either,” Jack felt his heart clench at the mere thought of it. “And luckily that’s not how the story played out.”

“Yeah,” Riley did look a little more relieved and Jack was grateful for it. “We have to be more careful. I don’t want something like that to happen again.” 

“We will be.” Jack promised. “But why don’t we focus on the positives here for a minute. We’re all safe, and together, and as soon as Mac and Cage get back we’re gonna party in style.”

“I’m holding you to that, Jack.” Riley laughed. “Where are Mac and Cage?” 

“I don’t know where Mac is but Cage went back to her place to get everyone’s gifts.” Jack explained. “I think Mac said he was gonna go with her to help.” 

“Well, they better get back soon.” Riley glanced over her shoulder to the kitchen where Bozer was delicately carving the pastrami. “It’s a weird tradition but damn that pastrami always tastes good.” 

“I know right,” Jack agrees. “It’s almost annoying how good it is. I could do without the story every year but if it means we get to eat it then I’ll listen to him tell it all day.” 

“I don’t know about all day,” Riley thought for a second. “But a few hours might be worth it.” 

“I’ve always wanted to know why the broken vacuum cleaner has anything to do with pastrami for Christmas.” Jack said. 

“Yeah,” Riley frowned as she sat next to him. “Or the thing about the phone book catching on fire.” 

Jack smiled as the stress lines completely left Riley’s forehead. This was what he did. He used humor to counteract the extreme stress of their daily lives. If he could get them to laugh then he knew he had been successful in his post-mission role. 

He was interrupted from adding anything more to the conversation when his phone started ringing in his pocket. He found the phone easily and saw Cage’s name pop up on the caller ID. He answered it before the fourth ring. 

“Cage, where the hell are ya guys?” Jack asked lightheartedly. “We’re waiting on you two before we start opening presents.”

There was only silence for a moment and Jack pulled the phone away from his ear to make sure the call hadn’t disconnected. 

“Jack…” Cage’s voice was weak, breathy, barely above a whisper. It sounded - wrong. 

“Woah, you okay?” He asked while sitting up straighter, his voice laced with immediate concern. 

“N-No…” She grunted painfully. “Need...help…” 

“Where are you?” Jack jumped to his feet, ignoring Riley’s confusion, and dashed for the counter where he left his keys. “Cage, where’s Mac?” 

“Apart...ment…” her voice was airy, fading in and out, but she still hadn’t answered his question about Mac. Clearly, she was not okay. If Mac had gone with her, if he wasn’t helping her, then that could only mean one thing. 

“You’re at your apartment,” Jack practically begged her for answers. No matter what, he needed to get to her. He just prayed that his best friend wasn’t in trouble, too. He made his way to the car door and jumped into the driver seat. He glanced over when Riley climbed into the passenger seat. He could see Bozer and Matty’s confused faces in the window as the engine purred to life and he backed out of the driveway. 

“Yes,” she answered. “Mac…” 

No. Nononono…

“Is Mac there, too? Is he with you?” Jack felt like he couldn’t breathe. Cage only lived a little over twenty minutes away from Mac’s place. Jack could get there in ten. He hit the speakerphone button and handed it to Riley. He was going to need both hands on the wheel if they were going to make it there on time. 

“Murdoc.” Jack and Riley both froze as Cage’s weak voice confirmed what Jack had already suspected. 

“Is Murdoc there?” Jack asked, laying his palm on the horn when a few cars went a little too slow. 

“Shot...us…” 

It felt like a cold stab of fear punched Jack in the stomach and he nearly doubled over with the force of it. 

“What?” Riley cried out, pulling her own phone out to call emergency services to their location. 

Us...

Jack put the pedal to the floor. 

Almost there. Almost there. Almost there. 

“Murdoc shot you?” 

“Yes…” Cage coughed lightly. “Mac...too.” 

“Mac?” Jack yelled out immediately. His fear had been confirmed and now he just needed to hear his best friend's voice. “Is he awake? Alive?”

“Yes...but hurry.” Cage whispered and then Jack could hear Mac’s ragged breathing. The quiet whimpers of pain. Oh god, he sounded worse than Cage. 

“I hear you and we are less than ten minutes away.” Jack silently prayed that it would be enough time, that they could make it until then. They had to. Losing them would destroy the team. He couldn’t let that happen. “Can you put me on speaker? I want you two to stay on the phone with me until I get there, you hear me?”

“Kay…” Jack listened carefully and in less than a second the sound changed. He could hear them both better now. He could hear the soft groans every time Mac exhaled. He could hear the way Cage’s breathing pattern faltered. 

“You both with me?” Jack asked, needing them to respond. Pained breathing was better than no breathing at all. Even with how terrible they sounded, it was still better than silence. 

“Yeah,” Cage again. Jack frowned, he hadn’t heard Mac’s voice once yet. He blinked away tears. 

“Mac? You with me, bud?” 

“Jah-” Mac’s voice sounded so wrong - it sounded wrecked, tortured. 

It was bad. 

If Jack had any doubts before, they were dashed now. 

“Oh bud,” Jack swallowed thickly. “I’m almost there. Just a few more minutes. Riley already has an ambulance on the way and they’ll get ya all fixed up.” 

“I’m s-sorry…” Mac groaned. “Dih-didn’t see hi-him…” 

Jack let his eyes close for half a second. The poor kid was always blaming himself. There was no way in hell it was Mac’s fault. It was all on Murdoc and he was going to make the assassin pay when he got his hands on him. 

“Hey, why don’t we worry about that later, okay? I see the building. It’ll only be a few more minutes. You gotta stay with me, though, okay? Both of you are going to be just fine, you hear me?” 

“Jack!” Riley cried out and lifted the phone. The call had disconnected. She frantically tried to get them back on the line but it was clear Cage’s phone had died. She tried Mac’s number but it just went to voicemail. There was nothing they could do but get to the apartment. Hopefully, they would get there in time to save their friends. Scratch that, they had to get there in time to save them.

They made it to the front of the building and Jack slammed his foot on the breaks. They skidded to a stop and jumped out of the car without turning off the engine, just putting the gear in park, and ran to the main entryway. Cage lived on the third floor and Jack and Riley took the stairs three at a time to get up to them as fast as they could. Her door was shut and to anyone walking by it would look like everything was fine. Of course, Jack and Riley knew differently and Jack didn’t hesitate to lift his leg and kick down the door. The door all but splintered in its frame as it swung inwards with enough force to punch a hole straight through the wall. He would pay for the damages later but he only had eyes for the two agents lying on the floor. 

Riley gasped when she saw them, standing frozen in the doorway out of shock, but Jack didn’t stop his momentum and crashed down between them. A quick glance around the room told him Murdoc was no longer there but the damage he meant to inflict had already been done. 

Both were unconscious, barely breathing, and lying in puddles of their own blood. It was Jack’s worst nightmare come to life. 

Cage had been shot in the upper chest. Her face was way paler than he had ever seen it before and her lips were turning a horrible shade of dusky, light blue. The blood had soaked into the shirt around the wound and was collecting in a puddle under her back. A through and through, then. That was good. A through and through meant the bullet punched through her body, probably taking a lung out of commission in its wake, but had less chance of wreaking havoc within her body. The damage was bad but contained. He reached to put his fingers at the pulse point in her neck and sighed in relief when he found a rapid but stronger than expected pulse. 

“Riley, get over here and put pressure on this wound.” Jack said, trying not to sound too frantic. He had to keep a cool head. Riley leaned down on Cage’s other side, a dish towel already in her hands, and pressed down. With Cage in Riley’s capable hands, Jack moved his attention to his best friend. 

Mac was absolutely soaked in blood. There was a wound in his shoulder that he wasn’t as worried about. The real problem was the gunshot wound to the kid’s abdomen. It was high and to the right. Jack mentally went through the anatomy in that area. It was too low to be the diaphragm or lungs, the wrong side for the spleen, and too high for kidneys.The biggest thing in that area was the liver and with how much Mac was bleeding the chances that it had been hit were staggeringly high.

Riley silently handed him another towel. They caught each other’s eyes but there was nothing either of them could say to make the situation better. Jack let his attention land back at Mac’s frighteningly pale face and pressed the towel against the still-bleeding wound. He pressed down with as much of his weight as he could and sighed in relief when Mac jerked in response, his eyes fluttering open. 

“Mac,” Jack asked, watching as the kid’s blurry eyes found him. 

“Jack,” it was barely audible, more a whisper of a whisper than a real word, but it was enough to let Jack know Mac was with him - even if it wasn’t by much. 

“I’m right here,” Jack promised, letting one hand find its way to Mac’s hair. He brushed the sweaty strands from his forehead and Mac leaned into the comforting touch. “You stay with me, hoss. I mean it. Just keep looking at me.” 

“Cage,” Mac tried to look around but Jack kept his hand on Mac’s cheek. 

“She’s right here,” Jack quickly checked to find Cage doing no better but no worse either. RIley was watching Mac’s face, heartbreak written all over her own. “I need you to stay still, though.” 

“Mur-doc sh-shot her.” Mac forced out, the words catching in his throat. 

“I’m not sure if you noticed there, bud, but he shot you, too.” Jack tried to go for his usual humor but it fell flat. Mac gave him a half-smile, though. 

“I no-noticed.” Mac told him. “It hurts.” 

“I bet it does,” Jack said. “Maybe we try not doing this again. You’re giving me too many grey hairs as it is.” 

“No pruh-promises.” Mac grunted, coughing lightly, his face twisting in a weak grimace. Jack ran his thumb over Mac’s hair again, trying to provide some semblance of comfort. He tapped Mac’s cheek when his blue eyes fluttered shut. They opened again, barely, as Mac’s face paled even more. 

“Stay with me,” Jack repeated again. “Paramedics are right behind us.” 

“Don’t...know if I ca-can.” Mac whispered. He was still fighting but just looking at the struggle was making Jack tired for him. Mac reached over his torso with his good arm and gripped Jack’s. His bloody, cold fingers weakly holding on to Jack like he was his only tether between life and death. Jack could tell from Mac’s eyes that the kid wasn’t seeing much of anything anymore. He was trying not to float away and it broke Jack’s heart that there was nothing he could really do to help him - again. This time, there were bullets but Jack still hadn’t been there to jump in front of them. 

“You don’t have a choice.” Jack felt a tear trickle down his own face as one slipped from the corner of Mac’s eye into his hair. “I’m not losing you.” 

“Jack?” Mac sounded scared now and Jack leaned over so his forehead was pressed against Mac’s. He didn’t let up the pressure on Mac’s wound but he needed Mac to know he was there. Jack held his breath, his eyes screwing tightly shut as the pain of Mac dying in his arms crashed through him. 

The sirens arrived downstairs and Jack could hear the pounding of heavy footsteps coming up the stairwell but it didn’t matter because Mac had stilled, his fingers loosening on Jack’s arm before falling back to his side, and even though he could still feel the rise and fall of the kid’s chest he knew that he might have just talked to his best friend for the very last time. 

To Be Continued.


	3. Mother + Tether + Awake

The hands that pulled Jack away from his partner shouldn’t have surprised him as much as they did. 

Jack didn’t want to let go. He could still feel Mac’s pulse and knew with complete certainty that Mac was still alive. If he lost that contact then he wouldn’t know for sure anymore. He would have to rely on monitors to keep him informed of his best friend’s status until he could check for himself again. Those damn monitors loved to mock him. Their steady beats threatened to change, speed up or slow down, or even worse stop forever and whenever Mac was in the hospital he could only stare at them and will the mountain peaks to keep going across the screen. 

“Sir, you need to step back so we can help the victim.” Jack felt fury roll through him. 

_Don’t call him that. He’s so more than you could ever imagine. He’s not a victim. He’s a damn hero._

“His name is Mac,” Riley cut in, just as adamantly against Mac being called a victim as Jack was. “Call him Mac.” 

“Mac,” the paramedic said, pulling on Jack’s shoulders again - misunderstanding. It took everything for Jack not to turn around and sock him. He knew the man was simply doing his job and didn’t deserve his fury but when Mac’s life was in that much jeopardy Jack’s self-control disappeared. “Mac, you have to let your friend go so we can help him.” 

“No,” Jack finally straightened his shoulders, his fingers still tracking Mac’s pulse. He needed to be rational. They were not an enemy trying to hurt his kid more. They were the good guys who were only there to save his life. He pointed to the blond. “That’s Mac.” 

“Okay, sir, I understand. Now can you help us by letting us help Mac?” Jack sighed, long and shaky against the tidal waves crashing into his chest. 

“Yes, help him.” Jack let go of Mac’s wrist and felt a cold chill run through him at the loss of contact. Two paramedics kneel next to Mac as the other two started assessing Cage. Both agent’s shirts were cut open and Jack swallowed hard. He’d seen a lot of gunshot wounds in his day, deadly wounds and grazes that were more of a nuisance, so he knew how bad Mac and Cage’s looked. Cervical collars were wrapped around both of their necks to protect their spines. 

“What do you have?” The paramedic helping Mac asked. More paramedics brought in backboards, placing them beside the injured agents. It looks like the whole damn calvary was there which Jack was more than grateful for. 

“GSW to the upper chest, the airway is clear but there are definite signs of a pneumothorax. Starting needle decompression and then intubation.” Jack watched their quick actions, feeling sick as they stuck a needle in Cage’s thin chest. Air hissed through the small straw-like device and luckily some color started returning to her bloodless lips. Her head was tipped back as a thin tube was passed between her teeth, down her throat, to provide more air to her battered lungs. 

“I’ve got a GSW to the shoulder and to the upper right quadrant of the abdomen. Airway is clear but there is substantial blood loss. Glasgow coma scale 7.” Large pressure bandages were pressed against Mac’s wounds, immediately soaking through with red. They didn’t intubate him but they did place an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. The faint breaths barely fogged up the inside of the plastic and Jack couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he did need more help than that was providing. 

“Alright, get on the horn and warm Cedars-Sinai Emergency that we’ve got two criticals coming in.” The paramedic in charge carefully rolled Mac over to check for exit wounds. They only found one for the shoulder wound. The bullet that tore through the kid’s abdomen was still in there somewhere, wreaking havoc on the sensitive structures inside. There were too many things that could have been damaged. So many vital organs, his spine...

“Cedars-Sinai, this is Ambulance 24 and 17. We are incoming with two critical GSW patients. First is a female, thirties, GSW to the chest presenting with a pneumothorax. Needle decompression and intubated in the field. Second is a male, twenties, GSW to the left shoulder and upper right quadrant of the abdomen. Probable internal injuries and severe blood loss.”

It sounded so goddamn bad to Jack. He had too much training in his life, a lot of it about advanced first aid, so he knew exactly how dire the situation really was. He thought that must be why family wasn’t allowed to treat family. It was hard enough knowing a stranger was suffering let alone his best friend - his brother. 

“This is Cedars-Sinai, standing by to receive two critical patients: female, GSW to the chest and respiratory distress treated on scene and male, GSW to the left shoulder and right upper abdomen with internal injuries.” 

“Alright, folks. Let’s scoop and run.” It didn’t take long before Mac and Cage were securely on the backboards. They took Cage out first, then Mac, and Riley could only stare at the blood puddles left behind. 

“How did this happen, Jack?” She asked, her own shock making her voice sound thin, almost frail. 

“I don’t know,” Jack told her honestly. It went to hell so fast. He should have gone with them. Maybe then they wouldn’t be bleeding out on the way to the hospital. But they should have been safe there. It was Cage’s home, but in their line of work there was no such thing as safety. Not really. They both ran down the stairs after the medics, neither wanting to lose sight of the friends. 

“Riley, you stay with Cage. I’m going with Mac.” Riley merely nodded as Jack jumped into the ambulance with Mac. The doors slammed shut behind him and then they were off, sirens screaming its warning at the traffic to get out of the way. 

“This is Ambulance 24 with the male patient with the GSW to the abdomen. Belly is rigid and showing signs of hypovolemic shock. Be ready for massive transfusion protocol. Pulse ox and blood pressure are falling, giving ten liters by mask.” 

Now that Mac was attached to a heart monitor, Jack couldn’t stop listening to the frantic beeping. It didn’t sound right at all. “You gotta help him, please.” 

“I know, sir. Your friend is in good hands.” The paramedic gave him a frustrated look as he worked around his partner. IVs were placed, more pressure dressing was applied, and yet the beeping never sounded any better. The cadence only increased more and more until the alarms screamed out in the small space. Jack grabbed Mac’s hand, the thready pulse in his wrist barely even flickering against Jack’s fingers. Jack could feel him fading away, chest staggering as his body struggled to pull in air. The paramedic pushed the oxygen mask off his pale face and quickly inserted the damn tube Jack had been so grateful Mac didn’t need before, down his throat.

Jack continued to squeeze his hand, refusing to watch his best friend die in front of him after everything they had been through together. 

“Step on it, Cal.” The paramedic yelled to the front of the bus and the ambulance jolted as their speed was increased. 

“Mac, you stay with me. Don’t you dare go somewhere I can’t follow.” 

++

Mac couldn’t feel the burning agony in his gut anymore. 

He couldn’t feel much of anything, actually. The last thing he remembered was the pain from the bullets that had torn through him, the fear for Cage because she had been shot too, and the feeling of overwhelming comfort from Jack. 

Then, nothing. 

He was floating in an airy in-between, caught between unconsciousness and something more permanent. 

He fought against that permanence and when he finally managed to pry his open, he wasn’t in Cage’s apartment bleeding out on the floor or in the hospital, he was sitting in the grass at the edge of familiar water. A woman was sitting beside him. She had brown hair and blue eyes that looked like his. She was watching him closely as he took her in. 

“Mom?” Mac asked carefully. He couldn’t tell if it was actually her or just someone who looked a lot like his memory of her. He felt safe in her presence, though. It felt comfortable and right. 

“Hi sweetie.” Her sad eyes strayed down to his shirt and when Mac followed her gaze he saw that his henley was still soaked in blood. 

“Where am I?” Mac asked. He pressed his hand to the blood and his fingers came away red. 

“Don’t you remember. I used to take you here all the time when you were little.” Mac ignored the blood and instead took in their surroundings. It really did look familiar. He could see the faint outline of the Mulholland Dam. 

“Griffith Park, this is the Hollywood Reservoir, isn’t it? I haven’t been here since…” 

“Since I died?” She supplied when he faltered. 

Mac nodded, feeling tears pooling in his eyes as it sank in that he was really talking to his mom again - or at least, a version of her his misfiring synapses were conjuring. 

“I know, I understand.” She leaned over and bumped her shoulder against his. “This was our spot. It wouldn’t have felt right if I wasn’t there anymore.” 

“Why are you here now?” He asked, a little fearfully. He felt all of five-years-old again sitting next to her after all that time. “Am I dead?” 

“No, honey, you’re not dead. Close but as long as you can hear that sound you’re still fighting.” Mac listened, above the roar of the choppy water in front of them was the faint artificial beeping of a heart monitor. “And listen, you’ve got someone in your corner.” 

_“Come on, Mac. Stay with me, kid. Please.”_

“Jack.” 

Where was Jack? 

Mac tried to rise to his feet, he needed to get to Jack, but he didn’t have the strength to get very far. He fell onto his back, chest heaving in exhaustion. His mom brushed the hair off his forehead as he closed his eyes against the rock wall of pain that had smashed into him. He heard her soft voice singing as the pain slowly receded. He couldn’t get up, though. He was too tired and merely curled onto his side, his face pressed to the grass. His mother stayed by him, combing her fingers through his hair the entire time. 

“You’re okay, sweetie. I’m right here.” Her voice whispered in the wind. 

“I need to find Jack.” Mac groaned, closing his eyes as the world seemed to tilt on its axis. He felt sick. 

“I like him, you know.” His mom told him. “You’ve always needed someone to watch your back, my little troublemaker.”

“I never tried to make trouble.” Mac had been insisting on that his whole life. People rarely believed him and it hurt sometimes. He got used to it over time, leaned into it even, but that insecurity was always there. It was the one that told him he was inherently bad for thinking differently than everyone else, for being him. He didn’t believe it as much as an adult because he had a better support system around him, but with his mom there, he felt like that afraid child clinging to the wish that he wouldn’t lose anyone else because he had messed up again. 

“I know, but it always seems to find you, doesn’t it?” 

“Unfortunately.” Mac agreed.

“But you’re pretty good at surviving those hard times, too, aren’t you?” Mac laughed a little at that but stopped short when it made the world tilt again. He might have been a survivor before but that only lasted as long as it took to die. Mac was doing a pretty good job of only one of those things right now. 

“Is that possible now?” He asked honestly. He didn’t know how to survive this one. Even in his own head he was stuck on the ground, all but writhing in pain. 

“Do you want it to be?” 

Was the choice really his to make? 

“I don’t know.” If Mac was being honest, he really didn’t know. He was tired, the weight of responsibility always threatened to crush him, but lately... “I’ve really missed you, mom.” 

“I know, honey. Just remember, I never really left. I’ve been by your side the whole time. And so has Jack.” 

Jack...Mac knew if there was anyone he needed to survive for, it was Jack. 

“He’s saved me more times than I can count.” 

“And you’ve saved him. That’s the beauty of your partnership. You save each other. It would crush him if he lost you.” 

Mac knew it was true. Jack had told him as much so many times before. If Mac let go, if he stayed at the edge of the water forever, what would Jack do? He might be able to move on but he wouldn’t be the same. If anything, Mac felt too guilty to die. “I don’t know how to leave here.” 

“Listen to that voice. What do you hear?” 

_Mac, I’m right here. I’m right here.”_

“Desperation. Fear.”

“I hear those things, too. But I also hear something else.”

Mac thought about it, really listening, and then it came to him. “A tether.” 

Her fingers stopped combing through his hair and she pressed her hand against his cheek, turning his head up so he was looking right at her. “Exactly, I’m your connection to death but he’s your connection to life.”

“So what do I do?” 

“Grab on to that voice and let it bring you back.” 

Mac knew she was right. She had always been right. If he stayed there, laying on the ground as if giving up, then there was no way he would make it. He pulled his arms under his body and pushed himself up to his knees. The world spun out around him as blood dripped to the dirt floor. He felt strong yet delicate hands on his shoulders, helping to steady him. When he looked at her again, it felt as if he was seeing her face for the very last time. He tried to memorize every detail before she faded away forever. “But what about you?”

“I’ll still be here, waiting to see you again.” She pressed both hands to his face, as if studying his features the same way he had studied hers. Her eyes took on a more serious sharpness, though, as they met his. “Just, not so soon, okay? Promise me.”

“Okay, I promise. I love you, mom.” He stood, ignoring the blood on his shirt and the pain from his wounds.

“I love you, too, my little genius.” Was the last thing he heard her say before he walked away. 

++

This time when his eyes opened, he was in the hospital. 

His body felt heavy, like it belonged to someone else. The hospital gown covered the bulky dressing wrapped around his torso and the thin blanket was pulled up to his waist. His hands rested on his hips and he felt the slight pinch of a pulse oximeter on his finger and the snug blood pressure cuff wrapped around his bicep. Nasal cannula prongs tickled him as cool air blew into his nostrils. 

“Hey there, kid. I thought I’d never see you with your eyes open again and I gotta say, even with as groggy as you look right now it’s a hell of an improvement over when you first got here.”

Mac rolled his head on the pillow to find his best friend sitting in an uncomfortable looking chair by his bed. “Jack?”

“Don’t try to talk, okay.” Jack leaned forward, his elbows pressed to the bed beside Mac’s shoulder. He lifted a hand to brush the hair off Mac’s forehead and Mac closed his eyes at the comforting gesture. “You were intubated for a while. Your body took quite a hit this time but don’t worry, they say you’ll be okay in time. You’re down a gallbladder and part of your liver but otherwise intact.” 

That didn’t sound great but it could have been a lot worse. “Cage?” 

“She’s gonna be fine, man. Bullet hit her lung but she’s been awake for a few days now and already itching to go home.” Mac would have sighed in relief if he wasn’t afraid his whole body might cave in at any moment. 

“Days?” Mac’s mind was slow on the uptake but confusion washed over him when he finally processed what Jack said. “How long?” 

“How long were you getting your beauty sleep? Almost two weeks, dude. You had us all terrified. You lost so much blood you slipped into a coma. When you got to the hospital, the bullet nicked your interior vein cave.”

“Inferior vena cava?” Mac chuckled at the mispronunciation, immediately hissing as it pulled on his battered body. The comforting motion of Jack’s thumb on his temple helped push the pain back down to manageable levels. 

“Yeah that. I’ve never been so scared in my life. But you did have a beautiful woman on top of you on your way to surgery, so there’s a silver lining. Her hand was almost all the way in your stomach, man. It was kind of gross.” 

The tone was playful but Mac could hear the emotion in Jack’s voice. His mind supplied him with a pretty good mental picture of what must have happened. He started bleeding out and one of the nurses had to manually put pressure on the severed vein. “Ew.” 

“Yeah, ew is right. I know we’ve been in a lot of tough spots in the past but I’ve never seen you so close to death before, man. It scared the hell out of me.” Jack’s voice broke at the end and Mac reached out with a shaky hand toward his friend. It hovered in the air over the bed for a second until Jack saw the movement and grasped thin fingers between calloused ones. 

“Sorry,” Mac whispered sincerely. He could feel sleep calling him again and fought to keep his eyes open. He didn’t want to leave so soon. He just got back. 

“It’s okay, and this isn't the only time you’ve apologized. You’ve woken up a few times, even groggier than you are now. I’m not surprised you don’t remember. Half of those times you still had that damn tube down your throat. Apparently, you still know morse code even when you just got out of a coma.” 

Mac nodded as he took in the information. It made sense but he was too tired to really process anything anymore. “When can I...go home?” 

“Not for a while yet, brother.” Jack let out a gruff laugh. “They’re going to keep you here for the long haul this time.” 

“Wanna go home.” Mac knew he sounded like a child when he said it but literally didn’t have the energy to care. He hated hospitals even more than Jack, maybe not more, but at least equal.

“I know you do, and you’ll get there, but can we focus on getting you better first? This was a close one, man. I don’t want a repeat of the past couple weeks. Deal?”

“Deal.”

“Good, now I see you trying not to yawn. Get some more beauty sleep, pal. You could use it.” 

Mac smiled faintly as his eyes drifted shut. “Are you…”

“Staying? Of course, bud. There’s nowhere else in the whole world I’d rather be right now.” 

“Merry Christmas, Jack.” 

“It’s a little past that now, but yeah, Merry Christmas, kid.” 

The End.


End file.
